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BOTSWANA
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FOREWORD:
Botswana has been extremely fortunate in that it has
been spared much of the turmoil and problems found in other parts of Africa. It
is politically stable and is certainly a favored destination for Safari�s today.
Its government is a parliamentary republic with a bicameral parliament
consisting of the chiefs of the 8 principal tribes. It has proven itself to be
exceptionally capable with sound fiscal discipline and management. The country
now ranks about in the middle of all the countries of the world in terms of
income per person. It lies just north of South Africa, and is bordered easterly
by Zimbabwe, northerly by Zambia and Angola and westerly by Namibia. Its capital
is Gaborone in the SE corner of the country. The country was originally know as
Bechuanaland, a British protectorate until its 1966 independence. It has a
robust economy, dominated by diamond mining. It does have high unemployment,
exceeding 30%. In size it is slightly smaller than Texas. It is landlocked. Its
climate is semi-arid with warm winters and hot summers. August can be windy, but
weather during the safari season of April to September is generally excellent,
with a few scattered, but brief showers. Its terrain is flat to rolling
tableland, except for the Kalahari desert to the south west. The single largest
ethnic group is the Tswana, comprising 80% of the country. Whites make up about
7%. Almost 70% of the country over age 15 can read and write. In terms of
elevations, most of it is around 3,000 feet high, and most of the country is a
sandy plateau. The dominant geographical feature is the Kalahari Desert, which
covers roughly 2/3rds of the country. At the northern edge of the Kalahari, lies
the magical Okavango Delta fed by the mighty Okavango River. That river
eventually disappers into the sands to support a very diverse wildlife
population. It is estimated that the country has more than 79,000 elephants,
meaning the largest free-roaming herds in the world. In order to visit this
country you must secure a visa and we urge you to take malarial medication in
advance. Of particular interest we think, is the fact that this country has set
aside more of its land for National Parks and Game Reserves, than has any other
African country! Listed below are the Safari operations we prefer to work with
in this country.
HUNT # 169:
BOTSWANA
Given that Botswana is a premiere safari destination
with plenty of fine animals, then you need only one other thing for that hunt of
a lifetime, namely a superb Professional Hunter (PH). This operation has about 7
of the best and most qualified guys around. Without giving individual
biographies on each, we have listed just a few of this group�s achievements and
qualifications. One has taken the Number 1 Springbuck and Number 1 Reedbuck and
has a Guide award with four entries in the top 5. Another has taken two awards
within the company for two consecutive years and took a 94 pound elephant and a
top 10 lion. Another has hunted over 100 bull elephant and has twice been runner
up to the highest overall ivory average for PH�s in Zimbabwe. He has twice taken
the largest lion for the year in Zimbabwe and currently holds the #7 Livingston
eland spot. He actually acts as an examiner for the PH exams in Zimbabwe. He
took a 92 pound elephant in Botswana in 1999. Another has been the SCI PH of the
year, holds the #1 lion in SCI; and has spent most of his life iin pursuit of
building up one of the finest safari companies. Yet another has taken over 100
elephant with clients and has been the Zimbabwe PH of the year. So you begin to
realize the depth, breadth and degree of the experience involved in the PH�s who
guide for this operation. In terms of the areas of operation, they include the
famed Okavango Delta, the area surrounded by the world renowned Chobe Game
Reserve.
DAILY RATE: hunts here are 7 days, 14 days, 21
days and 30 days. Daily rates start at approximately $1050 per day for a 7 day
1X1 hunt, to $1600 per day for a 14 day or longer 1X1 hunt. Two hunters per PH
are less. There is also a 15% surcharge on the daily rate which includes the
Government sales and VAT taxes, royalty fees, bed taxes and training levy. A
firearms permit is $150 per weapon. Air charter vary with location.
SAMPLE TROPHY FEES: Buffalo
$2500 plus $1250 license; Croc $1000 plus $250 license; Eland $2000 plus $500
license; Elephant $5000 plus $5000 license; Gemsbuck $1000 plus $600 license; Hartebeest $700 plus $250 license; Kudu $1200
plus $600 license; Lechwe $750 plus $500 license; Leopard $4000 plus $2500
license; Tsessebe $750 plus $750 license; Zebra $1000 plus $1000 license.
7 DAY BUFFALO SAFARI: 2X1.
Two hunters per one PH. Price includes $900 daily rate, one buffalo per hunter;
and one of each of the following per hunter: Kudu, Lechwe, Tsessebe and Warthog.
It includes the trophy fees for the five animals, the license fees for 5 animals
and your $150 firearms license.
Not included
are dipping, packing and shipping, air charter and 15% surcharge. 7 days @
$900= $6300; plus $2450 consession fee; plus trophy fees and license fees on 5
animals @8800; etc. approximate total $18,870.
14 DAY LEOPARD SAFARI:
1X1
One hunter per PH. Price includes $1450 daily rate, and one of each of the
following: leopard, impala, kudu, lechwe, tsessebe, warthog, zebra
and baboon. It includes the trophy fees for the eight animals, the license fees
for the 8 animals and your $150 firearms license. Not included: are
dipping, packing and shipping, air charter and 15% surcharge. 14 days = $20,300;
plus $4,900 concession fees; trophy and license fees $14,250; etc. approximately
$39,600.
14 DAY ELEPHANT SAFARI: 1X1
One hunter per PH. Price includes $1600 daily rate; resource utilization fee
of $10,000; trophy and license fee for one elephant; $150 firearms license.
Not included: Dipping, packing and shipping, air charter, second Ph and 15%
surcharge.
NOTE: This operation also has some superb bird
hunts available at approx $4350 per person for 7 days. It also offers
Okavango bow hunts which can be done with up to 4 hunters per Ph to hold down
costs; and of course the normal plains game hunts. They also offer fishing for
Tiger fish and huge catfish among other species. Inquire for pricing.
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